Meter connection block



Patented May 18, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE METER CONNECTION BLOCK Application April 1'7,

8 Claims.

This invention relates to blocks which are designed to be connected between terminals of service and load wires of electric circuits and terminals of leads from meters which are to measure the current used.

The object of the invention is the production of a block of the character mentioned which is small in size, inexpensive to manufacture and install in an enclosing channel, box or cabinet, 10 and which can be easily, quickly and safely manipulated for the application of means for testing the connected meter, or for completely disconnecting the meter from the circuit and cutting off the service.

This object is attained by providing one or more of the current paths across the block with means for receiving and binding a lead or circuit terminal and adjustably mounting on said means a member which in one position closes the circuit through said means and in another position disconnects said means from the circuit, as more particularly hereinafter specified. The block shown has each current path across the block provided with the above mentioned circuit connecting and opening and closing means, but it is obvious, that it is not necessary to provide each path with such means, and also that the means disclosed could be located at either the upper or lower ends of the current paths across the block.

In the accompanying drawing Fig. 1 is a view looking at the upper edge of a two-wire block that embodiesthe invention, with one of the circuit opening and closing means removed.

Fig. 2 is a front view of the same.

Fig. 3 is a view looking at the lower edge of the same.

Fig. 4 is, on larger scale, a transverse section of the block taken on the plane indicated by the dotted line 4-4 on Fig. 2.

The base 5 of the block may be made of any suitable insulating material, preferably porcelain, and may have any desired number of current paths, four being illustrated separated by barriers 6.

In each path shown is a conducting plate 1 that extends across the front face of the block. Near one end this plate has a threaded perforation 8 through which is threaded a screw 9. A nut HI is threaded upon this screw for the purpose of 50 binding a circuit terminal to the plate. Near the other end the conducting plate has an enlarged opening II.

In a recess l2 in the base is a binding post 13 that has a transverse perforation M. This post 55 is held in place by a screw l5 and it is prevented 1936, Serial No. 74,858

from turning by the walls of the recess in which it is located. The post has an integral tubular hub 16 that extends outward through the opening ll in the plate 1 without contact with the walls of the opening or any portion of the plate. The hub I6 is threaded both on the interior and on the exterior. Threaded through the interior of the hub is a screw I! that is designed to bind the end of any circuit terminal which is thrust into the perforation in the post. Threaded on the exterior of the hub is a nut [B that when screwed down electrically connects the plate 1 with the hub iii of the post iii in which a circuit terminal is bound by the screw ll. When the nut is screwed out the plate is electrically disconnected from the hub, post, screw and terminal, owing to the insulating space between the wall of the opening in the plate and the post hub.

By the means illustrated terminals of service and load wires may be connected to the plate 1 by the nuts Ill, and terminals of meter leads may be connected to the conducting posts 13 by the screws ll, which terminals may at all times be thus secured to the block.

When the nuts l8 are screwed down the current paths across the block are complete. For testing purposes one or more of the nuts 18, depending upon the test to be made, may be unscrewed to open the necessary path or paths, and the testing terminals or bridges applied to the screws I! for completing the proper circuits, which may be accomplished without disturbing the connections of the normal circuit wires or meter leads to the block.

The invention claimed is:-

1. A connection block having a base of insulating material with a current path across its face, said path comprising a conducting plate with an aperture at one end and means for the connection of a terminal at the other end, a binding post located in a recess in the base, said post having means for receiving a terminal also a member that extends through said plate aperture without engagement with the walls thereof, means adjustable on said member and adapted to electrically connect or disconnect said member and plate, and means extending through said member and adapted to bind a terminal to said post.

2. A connection block having a base of insulating material with a current path across its face, said path comprising a conducting plate with an aperture at one end and means for the connection of a terminal at the other end, a binding post located in a recess in the base, said post having means for receiving a terminal, also a tubular hub,

ill

with an interior and exterior thread, that extends through the aperture in said plate with an air space between the hub and plate, conducting means threaded on the exterior of said hub and adapted to bridge the said air space, and means threaded in and extending through the interior of said hub into said post.

3. A connection block having a base of insulating material with a current path across its face, said path comprising a conducting plate with an aperture at one end and means for the connection of a terminal at the other end, a binding post located in a recess in the base, said post having means for receiving a terminal also a tubular hub, with an interior and exterior thread,

that extends through the aperture in the plate without engagement with the plate, a nut threaded on the exterior of said hub and adapted to be turned into and out of engagement with said plate, and a screw threaded in and extending through the interior of said hub into said post.

4. A connection block having a current path which comprises a conducting plate with an aperture at one end, a binding post having an opening for receiving a terminal also having a tubular hub, with internal and external threads, that extends through the aperture in the plate without engagement with the walls thereof, a nut threaded on the exterior of said hub and adjustable into and out of elec i-cal engagement with said plate, and a binding screw threaded through the interior of said hub and extending into the terminal opening in said post.

5. A connection block comprising an insulating base, a conductor mounted on the base, a tubular binding post secured to the base and associated with but disconnected from said conductor, said post having means for the connection of a circuit terminal, means movable through the interior of the post for binding a circuit terminal, and means movable on the exterior of the post for electrically connecting and disconnecting said post and conductor.

6. An electrical element comprising a tubular binding post having a threaded interior and exterior and also having means for the connection of a circuit terminal, a screw threaded through the interior of the post and adapted to bind a circuit terminal to the post, and a nut threaded on the exterior of the post and adapted to electrically connect the post with an associated conductor.

7. A connection block having a base of insulating material and attached thereto a conducting plate and a binding post spaced from said plate, said post having an opening for receiving a conductor terminal also having a tubular hub, a screw threaded in said hub to bind said terminal, and a nut threaded on said hub to make and break electrical connection with said plate.

8. A current path for a connection block comprising a conducting plate with an aperture and means for the connection of a terminal, a binding post having a perforation for receiving a terminal also a tubular integral member with an interior and exterior thread, extending from the block through and spaced from the wall of the aperture in said plate, a nut threaded on the exterior of said member and movable into and out of engagement with said plate, and a screw threaded through the interior of said member and extending into the perforation in said post.

HENRY J. BLAKESLEE. 

